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veil

Seeing Through a Glass Darkly, and the Urim & Thummim

July 8, 2012 by Bryce Haymond 2 Comments
Lapis specularis, or specularibus lapidibus, is a variety of gypsum (selenite) that forms crystal sheets and they were used as window panes in the first and second centuries AD.

Lapis specularis, or specularibus lapidibus, is a variety of gypsum (selenite) that forms crystal sheets and they were used as window panes in the first and second centuries AD.

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

This scripture from the New Testament has often been used to describe our current estate in life, our vision and perception being a bit muddled as we go about our daily lives.  We don’t understand everything, we can’t see everything, we don’t know why some things are the way they are.  We don’t live by perfect light and knowledge.  Indeed, it is a good scripture on the topic of faith, and how we must live by imperfect understanding, having a feeling for things but unable to grasp them fully.  It also well describes what our LDS doctrine calls the veil (also spelled vail), this semi-impervious cloak and covering over God and his dominion.  In a future day, the curtain will be drawn, and we will see with perfect clarity, and our understanding will become as clear as day.

Why must we live by this faith, why the separation from God by the veil?  Why doesn’t God reveal himself?  This is often the cry of the atheists, who seek evidence of God’s existence.  I appreciated Dan Peterson’s explanation of this in his talk on “Humble Apologetics.”  He said:   [Read more…]

Posted in: Artifacts Tagged: apron, corinthians, faith, garments, interpreters, joseph smith, moses, new name, priest, prophet, revelation, revelations, seer, seer stone, translation, translations, urim & thummim, veil, video

Alethiology – How to Know the Truth?

June 29, 2012 by Bryce Haymond 8 Comments

I posted this originally as a comment on a blog post over at Times & Seasons, by David Earl Bohn.  I thought I’d share it here:

I understand David Bohn. Scholarship in general does not represent an unassailable uncontested platonic absolute truth, no matter the source from whence it comes. It may be trying to get at the truth, from many different angles, but it can’t quite reach the destination, ever. How close it gets is entirely subjective in each person absorbing it, depending on their experience and resulting perspective.

Truth is like an opaque cloth bag with an object inside, but no opening. You can poke, prod, twist, squeeze, kick, hike, spin, sit on, stretch, slam, or feel it through the bag for eternity, but you won’t know for certain what is inside that bag until you take it out, or ask who put it in there (which still involves some doubt, because now you must judge that individual). You may have an excellent idea, but no certainty. What is its color, for example? No one will ever know, while its still inside the bag.

In terms of religion, I would argue that God is inside the bag, and in Mormon-speak that bag’s the veil. He may also have been the one that put Himself there, or know who did. And this for a reason, perhaps only He knows (another bag). Some day the veil will drop, and we will Know Him.

Alethiology, or the study of the nature of truth (related to epistemology, the study of knowledge its acquisition), would be a good topic to bring up in these discussions. How do we come to a knowledge of truth, in whatever degree? Scholarship certainly helps, but is not an end all. It provides evidence, up for the taking in a never-ending discussion and debate to determine its truthfulness.

Of course, some “truth” is more “simple” than other truth. The fact that I drove a car to work today is pretty incontestable, you’d think. But was it really a “car”? Did I really “drive” it, or can my Utah driving even be considered by that term?  Was it even in the past tense, “drove” (to God it was likely the present)?  Can a rusted out 1993 Honda Civic with malfunctioning speedometer, odometer, A/C, radio, steering fuel leak, and tail lights still be considered an automobile? Is what I do at “work” really work, or is it unrelated blogging on an online Mormon forum?

This is part of the reason I’ve stopped blogging, as of recent. Too distracting from the truth in my work, but often worth it for the truth in the subject matter. Which is more true? Which should be true? Which would I like to be true?

Back to work…

I need a sabbatical all of the sudden.  I feel completely overcome (literally trembling right now) by the creative muse which seems to have engulfed me.  I don’t know where it is coming from, but this isn’t standard Bryce.  And I’m not talking only about what’s been happening in this Maxwell Institute debate.  It’s flowing like a fire hose into all areas of my every day life, from my work, to my home life, my children, my hobbies, my calling, my wife, my language.  Where is it coming from?  I feel incredibly sharp, and quick.  Words are coming to me that I haven’t ever before envisioned or had slip from my tongue.  It’s an amazingly transcendent feeling, which I can’t fully explain.  Maybe I can, but maybe not right now.

Another time when I felt so inspired was when I spouted a sonnet, “A Reply to Sonnet 18.”  I don’t write sonnets folks.  I leave that up to my wife!  See also my post on the hymn “Oh Say, What is Truth?”

Ok, now!

The Creative gift, where does it go?
From the mountains on down, through the rivers flow
Flow through my head, without end
Out of my fingers, without pen
I don’t know, and can’t explain
That which so engulfs me again
The Spirit bloweth where it listeth
To and fro, it  won’t ceaseth
Overcome with thought, I imagine
I’ve been here before, my King!

Posted in: Scholarship, Tidbits Tagged: alethiology, analogy, blogging, comment, discussion, eternity, experience, metaphor, online, origin, religion, scholar, scholars, source, true, truth, veil

Seeing the Face of God in the Temple – Part 1

April 10, 2011 by Bryce Haymond 23 Comments
The Israelite high priest sees God face-to-face upon the Ark of the Covenant

The Israelite high priest sees God face-to-face upon the Ark of the Covenant

The Doctrine and Covenants section 93 verse 1 reads:

Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am; (D&C 93:1)

This superlative promise was one of the foundations of Joseph Smith’s restoration, and whose revelations repeated throughout his calling as God’s prophet:   [Read more…]

Posted in: Church History, Temples Today Tagged: calling and election, dwell, election, endowment, face, jesus christ, joseph smith, margaret barker, physical, presence, revelation, revelations, salt lake temple, theophany, veil, visit

Attaining the Resurrection in Mortality

October 19, 2009 by Bryce Haymond 11 Comments
Margaret Barker

Margaret Barker

The use of those two words together, resurrection in mortality, appears to be perfectly incongruous at first glance.  In our common parlance in the Church we understand resurrection to be something that can only happen after mortality.  The resurrection “consists in the uniting of a spirit body with a body of flesh and bones, never again to be divided” ((“Resurrection.” LDS Bible Dictionary. http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bd/r/28)).  This is an event which happens only after there has been a separation of the spirit body from the mortal body through the process called death.  In my reading over the weekend, however, I came across a fascinating perspective from Margaret Barker which gives added meaning to the word resurrection, and our understanding of it, a meaning which can apply to us while still in our mortal estate. [Read more…]

Posted in: Scholarship, Temples Today, Texts Tagged: anointing, atonement, calling and election, embrace, eternal life, exaltation, farms, holy of holies, hugh nibley, joseph smith, margaret barker, maxwell institute, presence, priesthood, restoration, resurrection, scholar, seal, temple studies, throne, veil

Two Egyptian Questions at the Gate of Heaven

August 16, 2009 by Bryce Haymond 3 Comments

I saw the movie The Bucket List last night, and it was very inspirational.  I thought the following scene was particularly poignant and familiar.


http://www.tubechop.com/watch/22170
Carter: You know, the ancient Egyptians had a beautiful belief about death. When their souls got to the entrance to heaven the gods asked them two questions. Their answers determined whether they were admitted or not.
Edward: Ok, I’ll bite. What were they?
Carter: Have you found joy in your life?
Edward: Uh-huh.
Carter: Answer the question.
Edward: Me?
Carter: Yeah, you.
Edward: Answer the question, “Have I found joy in my life?”
Carter: Yes.
Edward: Yes.
Carter: Has your life brought joy to others?
Edward: Uh, that’s a tough question. I, uh, I don’t know. Uh, think about how other people gauge, uh… Ask them.
Carter: I’m asking you.

Posted in: Practices Tagged: ancients, egyptian, gate, heaven, joy, movie, questions, veil
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